Strength Tsunami: The Power of Wave Loading
Ride the rising force of periodization to build unstoppable strength.
“You can’t lift heavy all the time and expect to keep getting stronger. Sometimes you have to pull back to leap forward.”
— Ed Coan, powerlifting legend and G.O.A.T.
Wave loading is more than just a programming trick—it's a deliberate approach to intensity and volume designed to help you train with precision and build lasting strength. In this article, we’ll break down the principles behind wave loading and show you how to implement it in your own training to create a tsunami of strength gains.
There are countless ways to structure your training, but wave loading remains one of the simplest and most effective forms of periodization I’ve used. It allows for sustained progress by increasing load and/or volume over a series of sessions, followed by a reset and a new peak. Each wave aims to finish a little higher than the last, and even the reset point should bump up slightly over time.
Wave loading also helps you manage fatigue with planned back-off periods that let you realize the gains from the previous wave(s). If you just kept adding five pounds every session, you'd eventually hit a wall—and from there, regression or injury is often right around the corner. If linear progression worked indefinitely, we'd all be deadlifting 1,000 pounds by Christmas. Wishful thinking. Instead, wave loading allows you to ride the edge of performance, resetting just before overtraining hits and frying your CNS.
When you examine popular programs closely, you’ll see wave loading is more common than it appears. Several proven methods—including Louie Simmons’ Conjugate Method and Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1—use shorter 3-week wave cycles built into their structure.
In the Conjugate Method, wave loading shows up on dynamic effort days. A typical squat day might include 10–12 sets of 2 reps, starting at 75% in week 1, bumping to 80% in week 2, and finishing at 85% in week 3. In week 4, a new wave begins—usually with a different specialty bar to change the stimulus.
In Wendler’s 5/3/1, wave loading is baked right into the four-week structure. The top set each week is based on a percentage of your training max: 85% in week 1, 90% in week 2, 95% in week 3, and a deload at 60% in week 4. Each new cycle starts slightly heavier than the last.
Pavel Tsatsouline also discusses wave loading in his classic Power to the People. He recommends starting with a light deadlift—something you could do for 10 reps—but only performing 5 reps, followed by a back-off set at 90% of that. Each session, add 10 pounds. When you can no longer complete the 5s, you drop back to a heavier starting point than before and begin a new wave. It’s simple. It works.
“Train heavy, but not to failure. Repeat until strong.”
— Pavel Tsatsouline, Power to the People
Even classic linear periodization cycles used by legends like Ed Coan and Kirk Karwoski followed a wave-like progression—just stretched over longer timeframes. One of those cycles might begin with two weeks of 8–10 reps, transition to four weeks of 5s, four weeks of 3s, and a couple of weeks of doubles leading into a meet. After the contest, a new cycle would start with slightly higher goals.
And wave loading isn’t limited to week-to-week planning. You can structure waves within a single training session, too. The late Charles Poliquin often used this intra-session style. For example, a squat workout could look like this:
Wave 1: 80% x 3, 85% x 2, 90% x 1
Wave 2: 82.5% x 3, 87.5% x 2, 92.5% x 1
This session-based wave loading lets you lift heavy without maxing out from the start, while still accumulating serious volume at high intensities.
“To continue to progress, the athlete must avoid accommodation, and that means planned variety. Wave loading is one of the best ways to achieve this.”
— Charles Poliquin, strength coach and author of Poliquin Principles
Benefits of Wave Loading
Overcomes Plateaus
Varying loads prevents the nervous system from adapting too quickly, helping lifters push past sticking points.Boosts Neural Efficiency
Alternating between heavy and moderate weights primes your CNS for stronger, more explosive output.Enhances Strength Gains
Regular exposure to near-maximal loads increases motor unit recruitment and total force production.Improves Technique Under Fatigue
As intensity varies across waves, you're forced to maintain technical precision—crucial for long-term progress.Offers Psychological Wins
After lifting something heavy, dropping back down feels easier. That confidence boost is real and useful.Encourages Progressive Overload Without Burnout
Built-in resets and intensity variation reduce the risk of overtraining, making wave loading more sustainable than aggressive linear plans.
In a sea of biohacks and half-baked trends, wave loading stands out as a method that’s stood the test of time. It blends precision with intensity, letting you push to the edge without falling off. Whether you're a seasoned lifter or just ready to train smarter, wave loading offers a proven path to sustainable, long-term strength gains. Ride the wave. Reset. Rise higher.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s article, and until next time, stay strong and healthy!
Saved. Good stuff 👊🏻
So incredibly useful. Thank you Scott.